About Us

The Man Behind The Movement

The founder of the Tolu-e-Islam movement, Allama Ghulam Ahmad Parwez s/o Chaudhary Fazal Din, was born in a Sunni (Hanafi) family of Batala, Dist. Gurdaspur, on the 9th of July, 1903. Batala, a town now in the Punjab Province of India, was at that time a very prominent seat of Islamic learning, philosophy and culture where his grand-father Hakim Maulvi Raheem Bakhsh enjoyed the status of a celebrated scholar and eminent Sufi of the Chishtia Nizamia discipline of mysticism.

His lifelong research produced many valuable books on Quranic teachings, the most celebrated of them being:

Misconceptions

Muslims feels that the understanding of Quran is meant only for the religious scholars.

Generally people think that since Quran is in Arabic and they do not know Arabic, it is not necessary for them to know the sense and meaning of the Quran.

They do not even feel the necessity of reading this book with understanding. Muslims should have developed a conscious relationship with it, understood it, pondered over its verses, derived the light of learning from it, followed it sincerely and should have fulfilled the responsibilities placed on them by this book.

But the case of Muslims is strange.

Advice of Quran

The fact is that who ever studies Quran with the sincerity of purpose is bound to be benefited by its reading, no matter how less knowledgeable the person is and this is the foremost object of Quran.

For those who want to take advice, We have made this Quran easy to understand. Is their anyone 1 who will reflect on it and take advice? (54:17)

In the Quran We thus propound various kinds of parables and historical episodes so that such people may contemplate. (39:27)

(But now it will not be so.) The Quran is an open admonition and an historical reality. (74:54)

So whoever wants to can lead his life according to its directives. (74:55)

This can never happen. This is simply against Our Laws for the universe. This very Law has been mentioned in this Book that has been revealed to you. This book is full of blessings and brings happiness and prosperity in abundance. However, the only people who can benefit from it are those who reflect on its Laws, using their intellect and wisdom and thus understand the subject matter fully. (38:29)

It is a matter of great surprise that these people do not seriously apply their minds to what the Quran says. Why have their hearts become so blocked that nothing reasonable gets into them? (47:24)

Solution of this difficulty (Arabic understanding)

With the help of authentic Arabic language dictionaries and tafaseer the meanings of all words of the Qur’an can be determined in their comprehensiveness and vastness. We can determine the meanings normally attached with these words at the time of the Qur’an’s revelation.

Then it should be determined in what manner the Qur’an has used these words to convey different meanings. Its style is such that it expresses one thing at different points and by considering all these points, the meanings of these words stand out prominently.

Additionally, some technical terms have been used in the Qur’an. Their meanings can also be determined from the Qur’an and it has to be seen what concepts are presented by it through these technical terms. This is a very important point and will be explained in detail shortly.

The Qur’anic words whose meanings are determined in such manner are used to determine meanings of Qur’anic verses. In this way, meanings of the whole Qur’an from start to end can stand out clearly.

Lughaat ul Qur’an (Dictionary of Qur’an)

In which meanings of Qur’anic mufardaat (synomyns) is determined, a comprehensive dictionary is compiled in which the meanings of every word’s derivation (root) are given in detail.

Mafhoom ul Qur’an (Exposition of Qur’an)

The Qur’anic words whose meanings are determined in such manner are used to determine meanings of Qur’anic verses. In this way, meanings of the whole Qur’an from start to end can stand out clearly. Since translations do not reflect true meanings; rather their meanings should be expressed in one’s own words irrespective of the length of text and developed in the form of Mafhoom ul Qur’an (Exposition of the Holy Qur’an).

Tabweeb ul Qur’an (Classification of Qur’an)

Just reflect in how many different ways We have explained in this Quran what is good for them. Yet their aversion to it is ever-increasing (17:89).

In this Quran Allah has employed diverse forms of illustration to bring home its truth to man but man in most cases proves contentious. (18:54)

We have made the truth so clear in diverse ways that those who reflect on it, exclaim: “You have (O Rasool) indeed separated the grain from the chaff.” In this way we have made it manifest to a people who are disposed to understand. (6:105)

Say to them: “If your faculties of sight, hearing and understanding are paralysed as a result of going against Allah’s laws, is there anyone besides Allah who can restore them?” Reflect upon how We repeat Our basic teaching to impress its truth upon them but they turn away from it. (6:46)

Summary

Quran does not deal with a topic or subject fully at one time and at one place. Instead, it spreads it throughout the book through its method of repetition (tasreef-eayaat), that is, the explanation of its illustration through examples and exceptions sprinkled all over the Quran.

Tabweeb-ul-Quran (Classification of Quran) is the compilation of all the topics/subjects (almost 2000)

Qur’anic Terminology

Terminology is of prime importance for any art or topic. Unless the concepts of these terms are clear the art or topic cannot be understood

The foundation of the meanings of these terms is formed by (dictionary) meanings of these words but there is much more depth than this. The Qur'an has also devised its terms in the same manner and explained their meanings by itself. The method of understanding the meanings of these terms is to first understand the basic meanings of the words from which these words originate.

Subsequently‚ all those points (in the Qur’an) are highlighted where these terms are used. In this way their meanings will stand out clearly. I have determined and expressed the meanings of these terms in Dictionary of Qur'an in the same way. The same meanings have now been presented in Mafhoom ul Qur’an. For example:

Examples

Salat:

One special term of the Qur’an is “Establishment of salat” Commonly understood meanings are “Establishing namaz or prayer“, “Saying of prayer five times a day“. The root of salat is from (S-L-W) which means to follow somebody. In this way salat includes obedience of the rules of Allah (the Creator). “Aqamat e salat would mean “Establishment of such a society where the laws of Allah are followed“. This is the wider and more comprehensive meaning of this term. In the congregations of prayer, obedience to the rules of Allah is visible in its concise and specialized manner. In this way, the Qur’an has used this term for such congregations (gatherings) of prayers. Pondering on the individual Qur’anic verses reveals the points where “Aqamat e salat means “Congregations of salat and others where the intended meaning is establishment of a Qur’anic system or society. In Exposition of the Qur’an, these meanings have been clearly explained at these points.

Zakat

Similarly; there is the terminology of zakat. Its root is “Z-K-W“ whose basic meanings are “to grow“‚ “to get inflated“” “to prosper“ and “to progress“. The Qur”an has described the duty of the Islamic system or state as “Eita e zakat” This means that a system is established so that humanity is provided a system for progress. The prevalent meaning of zakat is that a certain percentage from one”s wealth is dedicated for charity. There is no doubt that in this as well” there is a shade of Qur‘anic meanings. However” the Qur‘an has not used it in these particular meanings. Hence” using this term only for this purpose will limit the comprehensiveness and depth of this term.

Other terms

The same goes for other terms used in the Qur’an such as kitab‚ hikmat‚ malaika‚ deen‚ dunya‚ akhira‚ qiyama‚ sa’at janna‚ jahannam‚ eiman‚ kufr‚ nifaq‚ fasq‚ asm‚ adwan‚ taqwa‚ ibada‚ etc. Conventional translations use only the common meanings of these terms whereas Exposition of Holy Qur’an uses their comprehensive and all-encompassing meanings determined through the method described above. A careful consideration of the situations in which such terms have been used in the Qur’an will amply demonstrate how the divine message gets circumscribed by using these terms in their usual constricted sense whereas their broad construction expands the Qur’anic meaning beyond any limit. This is how a book which is deemed an eternal code of conduct for all humanity and beyond space-time limitations should be.

Differing from the conventional interpretation

A clarification on this point was warranted because these are precisely the occasions which are subject to the allegation that I have given a totally new meaning to the Qur’an. Some would go to the extent of condemning it as ’revisionism’ in deen on the argument that I have deviated from the conventional meaning of such terms. As I have clarified above‚ this is hardly ’revisionism’ from the conventional meaning‚ but introducing the immense depth of meaning in Qur’anic terms to the constricted conventional usage. What needs to be examined on such occasions is if my usage of these terms is contradictory to their intrinsic meaning and the broader Qur’anic message. This would require a reference to the relevant sections of Lughaat ul Qur’an (Dictionary of Qur’an)‚ where you would find explanation of and support for my usage of these terms.